Some necromancers rely more on their bone commanders to handle combat situations, allowing them to control a few minions of their own.
The bonedancer is an archetype of the necromancer class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The bonedancer mainly focuses on DEX for combat, and CHA for his class features and spells.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
3rd – Lifetap.
Bone Minion (Su)
At 3rd level and every five levels thereafter, the necromancer can create a bone minion under the command of his bone commander. There are four types of bone minions that the necromancer can create. It takes a standard action to summon a bone minion. They last until they are destroyed or until the bone commander is destroyed. While unintelligent, the bone minions follow the bone commander’s mental commands to the best of their ability. If the bone commander were to be mentally unable to submit commands, the bone minions will stand there idle for however long the bone commander is out of commission, mentally.
Bone Archers: These bone minions uses bows to fire arrows from ranged. They begin play with Light Armor proficiency, Precise Shot, and are proficient with all bows. When the necromancer reaches 8th level, bone archers receive the Rapid Shot feat. At 13th level, bone archers receive the Manyshot feat. At 18th level, bone archers receive the Improved Precise Shot feat. These bone archers are summoned with a +1 long bow and light armor which increases to +2 at 8th level, +3 at 13th level, and +4 at 18th level. The bone archers have an unlimited supply of arrows. These items disappear when the bone archer is destroyed or removed from the bone archer’s possession.
Bone Fighters: These bone minions are front-
Bone Mages: These bone minions cast dark spells. They begin play with Power Staff Proficiency, Empowered Touch, dark spell, and use the necromancer’s MP pool to cast. When the necromancer reaches 8th level, bone mages can cast dark II spell and receive the Dark Focus feat. At 13th level, bone mages can cast dark III spell and receive the Effective Power Weapons feat. At 18th level, bone mages can cast dark IV spell. Bone mages use their own level as their spell-
Bone Menders: These bone minions cast cure spells. They begin play with Power Staff proficiency, Empowered Touch, cure spell, and use the necromancer’s MP pool to cast. When the necromancer reaches 8th level, bone menders can cast cure II spell and receive the Empower Spell feat. At 13th level, bone menders can cast cure III spell and receive the Effective Power Weapons feat. At 18th level, bone menders can cast cure IV spell. Bone menders use their own level as their spell-
Bone Minion Basics
Use the basic statistics (see below), but with the following changes.
- Hit Dice: For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the bone commander or necromancer’s total hit dice (whichever is higher).
- Hit Points: The bone minion has half the necromancer or bone commander’s total hit points (whichever is higher, not including temporary hit points), rounded down.
- Attacks: Use the bone commander or necromancer’s base attack bonus (whichever is higher). Use the bone minion’s Dexterity or Strength modifier, whichever is greater, to calculate the bone minion’s melee attack bonus with natural weapons.
- Saving Throws: For each saving throw, the bone minion uses the bone commander or necromancer’s basic saving throws (whichever is higher). The bone minion uses its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any of the other bonuses that the bone commander might have on saves.
- Skills: For each skill in which the bone commander or necromancer has ranks (whichever is higher), use the normal skill ranks for the bone commander’s skill ranks. In either case, the bone minion uses its own ability modifiers. Regardless of a bone minion’s total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond the bone minion’s ability to use. Bone minions treat Acrobatics, Climb, Fly, Perception, Stealth, and Swim as class skills.
Bone Minion
Starting Statistics
Size: Medium; Speed: 30 ft.; AC: +1 natural armor; Attack: 2 claws (1d4); Ability Scores: Str 15, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10 (for bone fighter and bone archer); Str 10, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 15 (for bone mage and bone mender); Special Qualities: darkvision (60’), DR 5/bludgeoning.
Table: Bone Minion
| Necromancer Level | Natural Armor Adj. | Special |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | Undead traits, link, evasion |
| 4 | 1 | Ability score increase |
| 5 | 2 | — |
| 6 | 2 | — |
| 7 | 3 | — |
| 8 | 3 | Ability score increase |
| 9 | 4 | — |
| 10 | 4 | Spell resistance |
| 11 | 5 | — |
| 12 | 5 | Ability score increase |
| 13 | 6 | — |
| 14 | 6 | — |
| 15 | 7 | — |
| 16 | 7 | Ability score increase |
| 17 | 8 | — |
| 18 | 8 | Improved Evasion |
| 19 | 9 | — |
| 20 | 9 | Ability score increase |
Bone Commander’s Hit Dice: The bone commander’s hit dice.
Undead Traits (Ex): Bone minions have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, have immunity to poison, sleep, disable, immobilize and stunning status effects. Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless). Not at risk of death from massive damage, but are immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points. Not affected by Raise spells or abilities. Absorbs any shadow damage, and takes half again as much from holy damage.
Link (Ex): A bone commander and its bone minions share a mental link allows for communication across any distance (as long as they are on the same plane). If the bone commander is destroyed, the bone minions are destroyed as well.
Ability Score Increase (Ex): The bone minion adds +1 to any one of its ability scores.
Evasion (Ex): If a bone minion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex save for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.
Spell Resistance (Ex): A bone minion gains spell resistance equal to the bone commander’s hit dice + 5. To affect the bone minion with a spell, another spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the bone minion’s spell resistance.
Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a bone minion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.
This ability replaces lifetap.
